SPAB Maintenance Cooperative Project Supporting people who care for places of worship

Stave of decay by daily repair William Morris Building on the award-winning Faith in Maintenance programme, the aims of the Project are: to provide training, support and resources to create a sustainable network of volunteers, supported by SPAB to enable volunteers to confidently and effectively carry out essential preventative maintenance at their local places of worship

Faith in Maintenance Faith in Maintenance was a unique five year project, funded by the HLF and English Heritage, that provided free one day training courses and support for the thousands of volunteers in England and Wales who help to maintain our historic places of worship.

150 courses run throughout England and Wales Telephone helpline Maintenance Calendar Good Maintenance Guide Faith in Maintenance DVD s, blogs and news

As a result of the courses participants reported that they: were spending more time inspecting their place of worship per month Required contractors to have more conservation experience Felt more confident seeking advice from professional advisors Enjoyed their voluntary role more Updated their maintenance logbook more regularly

…but there is still more that we can do Resources for historic places of worship are limited There is often a high turnover of volunteers Very little practical training for new volunteers Volunteers sometimes feel isolated and unsupported Volunteers would like to be able to exchange ideas and swap experiences with others

The project has received a £907,400 Heritage Lottery Fund grant towards a total project cost of £1,202,050 It is working to build capacity at community level in five target areas of the country: Lincolnshire Cumbria, North East Worcestershire/ Herefordshire Dorset and Somerset Maintenance Cooperatives

The maintenance co-operatives allow people to share ideas, resources and good practice. Groups benefit from a tailored training programme designed to meet local needs and interests on topics such as: Preventative building maintenance understanding traditional building materials working with professionals project planning and welcoming visitors

Legacy In each region 3-5 cooperatives will be set- up with the support of the SPAB team. New web-based, social media and printed educational resources An annual conference as part of National Maintenance Week Template for best practise that can be easily adopted in other regions Partners The project is being delivered with the support and assistance of a number of national partners including: English Heritage The Arthur Rank Centre The Churches Conservation Trust The National Churches Trust Caring for Gods Acre The War Memorials Trust As well as many local organisations

Get involved! Places of worship do not have to be old or listed to be involved, and they can be used by any faith. If you would like to know more about the project including: What events are happening in your area How to volunteer How to involve your place of worship or How your place of worship can benefit if it is not located in one of our project areas Please get in touch! Dates for the diary Herefordshire Launch 14th May Worcestershire Launch 31st May South Lincolnshire Launch 31st May Maintenance Co-operatives Conference 21st November Merchant Taylors Hall, York Tickets coming soon.

Team MCP Kate Streeter Project Manager Sheila Christie Administrator James Innerdale Technical Officer Stella Jackson Lincolnshire Project Officer Alaina Schmisseur, North East Project Officer Kate Andrew Herford and Worcestershire Project Officer Colm O’Kelly, Somerset and Dorset Officer Sue Manson, Cumbrian Project Officer